Car Review: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

Droptop fulfills a deep desire

By Brian Harper, National Post

Originally published: July 26, 2012

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“If I had hair, it would be nice to have the wind blowing through it.” It’s not exactly the sort of sentiment that will have General Motors’ marketing department falling over itself to use in ad copy, but my 85-year-old father had a smile on his face when he said it. Stretched out in the passenger seat of the 2012 Chevy Camaro SS convertible, he was likely reminiscing about “Lily,” his much-loved 1931 DeSoto roadster that was his chariot of choice during the war years – when he did have hair.

With the majority of my follicles in place, I handily concurred. There’s something about hot summer days and droptops that are the stuff of memories. And the Oshawa-built muscle car has more than enough presence and horsepower to create its own, top up or down.

Although the convertible made its debut early last year as a 2011 model, there has already been some tweaking to the 2012 versions, primarily a power bump to the direct-injection 3.6-litre V6, now 323 horsepower instead of 312, with lower emissions as well. The SS model retains its formidable 426-hp 6.2L V8 and standard six-speed manual transmission. Interior updates include a revised instrument panel, with new instrument graphics and trim, as well as a new steering wheel design and a power lift feature for the front passenger seat – small stuff, but appreciated nonetheless.

Then there’s the new Rear Vision Package, which adds a rear-view camera system and an auto-dimming mirror to the existing rear park assist feature. The rear-view camera system provides a video display of the area behind the car, with the image appearing in the car’s rear-view mirror. Considering the convertible’s rear sightlines are pitiful when the cloth top is in place, this system is also appreciated. That said, the image is very small and the naturally reflective nature of the mirror tends to wash it out.

Like the coupe version, the SS convertible tester has a rock-solid feel to it, most of that due to the droptop’s heft – a robust 1,815 kilograms, about 70 kg more than its hardtop sibling. Although the extra kilos blunt the car’s performance figures, it’s easy to see that they’re not just excess baggage. GM’s engineers sweated the structural rigidity details, adding a tower-to-tower brace under the hood, a transmission support reinforcement brace, underbody tunnel brace and front and rear underbody “V” braces. The result is minimal cowl and steering wheel shake when traversing potholes, railway tracks and the like. Another tell is that the suspension setup between the convertible and coupe models is identical. So, unlike the softer ride found on many other droptops, the SS is no boulevardier with a big engine. Although somewhat nose-heavy, it still charges around corners and attacks twisty bits of tarmac with verve. Grip from the fat, Z-rated performance radials is positively limpet-like and body roll is negligible.

The SS is fast but not mind-bogglingly so. The convertible blasts its way to 100 kilometres an hour in 5.9 seconds, the melodious blat from the twin exhaust pipes egging you into scofflaw territory. Getting around pokier vehicles is no problem; a mere 4.4 seconds is all that’s required to cover the 80-to-120-km/h spread. And, should you spot something up ahead looking suspiciously like a law enforcement-type vehicle, the Camaro’s four-piston Brembo calipers and ventilated discs will haul scrub speed in a hurry – the soft-top comes to a stop from 100 km/h in a decent 39.2 metres.

As for fuel economy, my week with the SS saw an average of 14.9 litres per 100 kilometres from the high-performance V8 – not great, but also not unexpected. For those desiring greater parsimony, it’s worth noting that the 400-hp L99 version of the 6.2L V8, which is the motor of choice when opting for the six-speed automatic, features the Active Fuel Management System, which shuts down half of the engine’s cylinders during certain light-load driving conditions, such as highway cruising.

The SS is by no means a dainty dilettante; driving it takes muscle. The gearbox is notchy, requiring a firm hand to slot the Hurst shifter (a $440 option). At least the throws are short, however. The same applies to the steering – heavy but precise.

The power-folding top retracts in about 20 seconds, folding in a Z-pattern and latching with a single basket-type handle located at the centre of the windshield header. Once the handle is twisted to the open position, the push of a button lowers the windows and activates the top – simple and effective.

The tester was outfitted with the $575 Inferno Orange trim package, with the rather overt colour used for dash and door trim, seat inserts and as stitching on the steering wheel, shift knob, armrest and centre console. Paired with the car’s black paint scheme, it was a handsome addition.

Cabin complaints are the same as with the hardtop – the icons for the HVAC controls are minuscule, which means most of the car’s middle-aged buyers will have to bend over and squint to hit the right button. Also, the SS’s console gauge package (oil pressure, oil temperature, volts and transmission fluid temperature) is mounted too low, out of most people’s line of sight. At least the car now comes with an available head-up display, which projects information such as vehicle speed, compass direction, outside air temperature, audio functions and more on to the windshield.

Ultimately, any complaints matter little. Those who want the SS will buy it because it fulfills some type of need/desire. The Camaro convertible is not about the daily drive but about finding a lightly travelled back road, stowing the top, feeling the sun and letting that big V8 sing.